[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 10 (Thursday, January 17, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H701-H702]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  FAIRNESS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) is recognized for 1 minute.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, from time to time, for whatever reasons, 
people want to vote and, either because they don't get down the aisle 
or they don't request a vote, they do not get the opportunity to vote 
on issues that they think are important to them.
  From time to time, frankly, on our side we have felt that we have 
been shut out when the majority was in the hands of the Republicans. We 
would

[[Page H702]]

want fairness. In return, we ought to extend fairness.
  There are obviously many, many Members who wanted to vote on the 
continuing resolution which was the subject of one of the votes, but 
from our point of view--and having reviewed the tapes--that did not 
happen. That happens.
  But because we want to assure Members on both sides of the aisle that 
their opinion can be expressed as they would wish it to be expressed--
and I think Mr. Scalise will say that. Mr. Butterfield, former judge, 
who is one of our fairest and best Members, I would hope we would 
acknowledge that he handled the matter fairly and consistent with the 
rules.
  Given that, it will be my intention to now ask for unanimous consent 
to provide for the opportunity, when we return on Wednesday, so that we 
have all Members here--we are going to return on Tuesday. And I would 
say that we will return before that. We may return tomorrow if we can 
open up government, if we have an agreement on that. But we will return 
as soon as that option is available to us.
  But we will return, if that does not happen, on the evening of 
Tuesday at 6:30, and we will then, as a result of the unanimous consent 
request I am about to make, vote--revote--on the issue at hand on 
Wednesday at the first of business.

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